Attachment for apertures of checkcontrolled apparatus



me. 27, 1938. O H GQETZ 2,141,745

ATTACHMENT FOR APERTURES OF CHBCK-CONTROLLED APPARATUS Fild Nov. 16, 1956 Patented Dec. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES ATTACHMENT FOR APERT'URES OF CHECK- CON TROLLED APPARATUS Oscar H, Goetz, Park Ridge, 111., assignor to Goetz Telephone Slug Service, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application November 16, 1936, Serial No. 111,077

8 Claims.

My invention relates to apertures for check controlled apparatus, such as telephone sub-station instruments, and is concerned particularly with an attachment for converting the apparatus from a coin controlled device into a slug controlled device to thereby prevent surreptitious operation of the device with false coins.

Many coin-controlled devices, such as the coin collectors of telephone sub-stations, are provided with chutes protected by a housing which contains a circular pocket opening into the front face of the housing and through which a coin is inserted flat and brought into registration with the coin shute. Broadly, the present invention has for its principal object the conversion of a coin pocket or aperture of this type into a slug receiving aperture by an attachment which may be secured to the existing coin housing without multilating that housing in any manner.

More specifically, the object of the present invention resides in the provision of a new and simplified form of guard plate for the coin aperture, and the provision of new and improved means for securing said guard plate to the houss.

Another object of' the invention resides in the provision of a coin chute conversion attachment that may be economically manufactured, and one in which the guard portion thereof may be easily replaceable with respect to the means securing it to. the housing, thereby readily permitting, an authorized person to. change the code by which the coin apertures are guarded, so that an entirely different set of slugs, must be used to operate the device.

Other features of the invention consist in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts as will hereinafter be more fully set forth and claimed.

In describing my invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing, wherein there is illustrated the preferred'physical embodiment of the invention, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of'a typical telephone pay station showing my invention associatedwith one of the coin receiving apertures;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view on a larger scale, showing the coinreceiving housing which is mounted on top of the coin box and illustrating my improved attachment secured thereto;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the device of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the device of Figures 2 and 3, parts being broken away;

Figure 5 is a partial vertical sectional View through the means or wedge securing the guard plate to the housing; and

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view take substantially on the plane of the line 66 of Figure 3.

While the present invention has its principal utility in connection with telephone pay stations, and is to be described in connection with such devices, it will be understood that it also has utility in connection with vending machines and other coin or slug controlled apparatus.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, the telephone pay station illustrated in Figure 1 comprises the usual coin receiving box B having one or more coin chutes opening into the top of the box, one such chute being indicated at 1 in Figure 4. The upper ends of the chutes are covered by a coin receiving housing 8 having the apertures 9, l and H in the front face l2 thereof. Each aperture opens into a downwardly extending passageway or chute which is substantially co-ext-ensive with the corresponding coin chute in the box B, one of these upper passageways being indicated at l3 in Figure 4. A small hole W is usually provided to open into each chute passageway l3 through the back wall M of the housing 8. The housing 8 is intended to represent a standard construction of coin receiving housing mounted on the coin receiving box B. Such housing may be a unitary casting. In ordinary practice, however, the housing consists of front and back sections riveted together and provided with flanges l and 16, respectively, which are riveted to the top of the box B. As shown, the front face I2, the top wall l! and the side walls l8 of the housing are of unitary construction, and the'side walls are preferably inclined upwardly and inwardly. Also, it"will be noted, that the free'marginal edges of side walls l8 project beyond back wall [4 and extend up- Wardly and inwardly from the outer marginal edge of flange It. This provides, in effect, a substantially triangular shaped flange [8 which projects outwardly beyond back wall l4. Numerals appearing through the apertures 9', l0 and H designate that these apertures are for receiving 5, 10 and 25 coins, respectively. It is the customary practice to convert only the 5 or nickel aperture to slug use, and accordingly the invention will be described in connection with this aperture, although it will be understood that the invention might also be adapted to aperture II]. V

In adapting aperture 9 to the exclusive reception of coded slugs, I place an attachment device on housing 8, and in registration with aperture 9. This attachment device includes an angle plate 20 having one leg 21 thereof abutting front face [2 of housing 8, and the other leg 22 disposed in abutting engagement with the ad'- J'acent side wall l8 and flange l8 of such hous- The plate may be formed of sheet metal, 01" any other suitable or preferred material, and

leg 2| thereof is provided with an aperture 23, which has a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of aperture 9, with which it is adapted to register. At the time of formation of aperture 23, a multiplicity of projections or teeth 24 are also formed peripherally thereof, with such multiplicity of teeth preferably uniformly spaced. These teeth, are then bent inwardly with respect to leg 2! of plate 28 and are adapted to extend. into apertures and seat on wall 25 thereof. therefore provide a coded aperture in registration with aperture 9 for the reception of a peripherally coded slug such, for example, as the coded slug shown in my Patent No. 2,008,415, granted July 16, 1935. 'Plate 20 is positively clamped to housing 8 by clamping means, designated generally at 28, which will now be described. Y

Clamping means 28 is of generally wedgeshape configuration and, may be formed of any suitable or preferred metal. The front face 29 of member 28 is substantially perpendicular to the base 30, while the rear face 31 is inclined inwardly from base 35 to the top face 33. A

slot 34, extending inwardly from front face 29 transversely'of said member, is of such length as to open through base 30 and top face 33. The

rear or transverse wall 35 of said slot conforms to the taper or inclination of rear wall 3| and member 28 is, therefore, provided with a sub-' stantially triangularly shaped slot; By reason of slot 34, wedge member 28 isof substantially U-shaped configuration and when flange 8 and leg 22 of plate 25 are engaged in said slot in the manner hereinafter described, one leg 36 of said member will be disposed in rear of flange.

I8, while the other leg 3'! of the member will be disposed in abutting engagement with the outer surface of leg 22 of plate 20. A recess 38 formed in leg 31 of member 28 extends from the base thereof to'the inclined wall 35 of slot 34, and

is adapted to receive a cooperating bead or rib 39,'pressed outwardly from leg 22 of plate 2!! and extending from the base thereof to the-inclined marginal edge 40 f said plate. In this connection, it will be noted that marginal edge 40 of plate 20, as well as the free marginal edge of flange l8 and the rear wall 35 of slot 34,

all have the same inclination with respect to each other .and all terminate in substantially the same plane. The recess 38 and rib 39' are slight-. ly inclined from the perpendicular toward the inclined marginal edge'49 and wall 35 of plate 20 and member 28, respectively, and as the member 28 is applied to plate 20 and flange l8 by engaging the upper edges thereof in slot 34 and then sliding said member'downwardly relatively to the plate and flange, it will be noted that the engagementof recess 38 and rib 39 in conjunction with the engagement of the marginal edges of plate 20. and flange I8 with wall 35 of member' 28 will set up a wedging action which will eifectively'clamp plate 20 on housing 8. Preferably, the angle which leg 22 makes with the leg 2| of plate 20 is slightly less than a right angle to assurethat plate 20 will' bearfirmly against housing'8. V

To prevent unauthorized removal of clamping member 28 and angle plate 20 fror'n'housing 8,

the leg 36 of member 28" is provided with a" threaded aperture 4! for receiving a bolt or set screw 42. shar k 43 of bolt 42bears against a reinforcing member 44, which is secured to the inner surface of-flange [8 of housing 8 in any Aperture 23 and teeth 24, f

such bolts being omitted in the present case,

and the outer periphery of the head 41 of the bolt is provided with a. plurality of spaced slots 48. These. slots are preferably spaced around the outer periphery of head 41 in such manner asto permit the use of a special wrench only having the space between the jaws thereof conforming with the space between the slots. In

'a number of installations of the present invention, therefore, it is also possible to employ a plurality of bolts 42, each having a varied space between the-slots 48 thereof, so that no one wrench can be employed upon each of the bolts. This will eliminate, therefore, to a considerable extent, any unauthorized removal of plate 20 and clampingmember 28 from housing 8.

In addition to'the provision of'bolt 42 for preventing unauthorized removal of plate 2|] from housing 8, means is also provided to frustrate any attempt which might be made to'insert an instrument between leg 2| of plate 20 and front wall lz of housing 8, to thereby bend legit out of its plane normal to front wall l2 for the purpose of'inserting a spurious coin between the plate and the front wall of the housing, and-into aperture 9. Such means comprises a substantially U-shaped member 50, one leg of which is formed integrally with the upper cially in sub-station installations, the working space between the instrument and its supporting wall is relatively small. Consequently, it is not possible to insert almost any type of tool in such space to remove member 50 or bolt 42 from thelpresentdevice. Therefore, after the present device is installed on the instrument, the member 50, and bolt 42 will effectively accomplish their purposes above described, and can only be removed by an authorized person having the proper tools. 7

While a preferred embodiment of my invention has been illustrated and described. herein, by way of example, it will be obvious that changes may be made therein within the spirit and scope of the invention and, therefore, I do not limit my invention to the form herein disclosed, except insofar as it. may be so limited in the appended claims. g

I claim: a V 1. The combination with a coin receiving housing comprising front and rear walls, and a side wall formed integrally with said frontwall and having a portion thereof providing aflange projecting beyond said rear wall said' front wall having an aperture therein intended to receive coins, of means for converting said coin aperture into a slug receiving aperture comprising a guard member mounted on said housing and provided with a coded aperture registering with said coin aperture and means receiving portions of said flange and' gu ard and slidable in a plane disposed parallel to the plane of said flange to secure said guard to said flange.

2. The combination with a coin receiving housing comprising front and rear Walls, and a side wall formed integrally with said front wall and having a portion thereof providing a flange projecting beyond said rear wall, said front wall having an aperture therein intended to receive coins, of means for converting said coin aperture into a slug receiving aperture comprising an angle plate mounted upon said housing, one leg of plate abutting the front wall of said housing and having a coded aperture registering with said coin aperture, and means comprising a substantially U-shaped member receiving portions of said flange and the other leg of said plate and securing said plate to said flange.

3. The combination with a coin receiving housing comprising front and rear Walls, and a side wall formed integrally with said front wall and having a portion thereof providing a flange projecting beyond said rear wall, said front wall having an aperture therein intended to receive coins, of means for converting said coin aperture into a slug receiving aperture comprising an angle plate mounted upon said housing, said plate having oneleg thereof abutting the front wall of the housing and having a coded aperture registering with said coin aperture, the other leg of said plate abutting the side wall of said housing and having its free marginal edge terminating in the plane of the free marginal edge of said flange, and means embracing the free marginal edges of said flange and the latterleg of said plate and securing said plate to said housing.

4. The combination with a coin receiving housing comprising front and rear walls, and a side wall formed integrally with said front wall and having a portion thereof providing a flange projecting beyond said rear wall, said front Wall having an aperture therein intended to receive coins, of means for converting said coin aperture into a slug receiving aperture comprising an angle plate mounted upon said housing, said plate having one leg thereof abutting the front wall of the housing and having a coded aperture registering with said coin aperture, the other leg of said plate abutting the side wall of said housing and having its free marginal edge terminating in the plane of the free marginal edge of said flange, means embracing the free marginal edges of said flange and the latter leg of said plate and securing said plate to said housing, and means associated with said last named means and said flange and operative to restrain unauthorized removal of said last named means from said plate and flange.

5. The combination with a coin receiving housing comprising front and rear walls, and a side wall formed integrally with said front wall and having a portion thereof providing a flange projecting beyond said rear wall, said front wall having an aperture therein intended to receive coins, of means for converting said coin aperture into a slug receiving aperture comprising an angle plate, said plate having one leg thereof abutting the front wall of the housing and having a coded aperture registering with said coin aperture, the other leg of said plate abutting said side wall of the housing, means embracing said flange and the latter leg of said plate, and cooperating means carried by said last named means and the latter leg of said plate and operative to set up a wedging action between the plate, flange and said embracing means to secure said plate to said housing.

6. The combination with a coin receiving housing comprising front and rear walls, and a side wall formed integrally with said front wall and having a portion thereof providing a flange projecting beyond said rear wall, said front wall having an aperture therein intended to receive coins, of means for converting said coin aperture into a slug receiving aperture comprising an angle plate mounted upon said housing, said plate having one leg thereof abutting the front wall of the housing and having a coded aperture registering with said coin aperture, the other leg of said plate abutting said side wall of the housing, a U-shaped member adapted to embrace said flange and the latter leg of said plate, a recess of appreciable length formed in one leg of said member, and a rib formed in the latter leg of said plate, said rib and said recess being engageable by relative sliding movement of said member with respect to said flange and plate and thereby securing said plate to said flange.

7. The combination with a coin receiving housing comprising front and rear walls, and a side wall formed integrally with said front wall and having a portion thereof providing a flange projecting beyond said rear wall, said front wall having an aperture therein intended to receive coins, of means for converting said coin aperture into a slug receiving aperture comprising an angle plate mounted upon said housing, said plate having one leg thereof abutting the front wall of said housing and having a coded aperture registering with said coin aperture, the other leg of said plate abutting the side wall of the housing, means associated with the first leg of said plate and with said housing and operative to restrain bending of said leg out of its plane normal to the front wall of the housing, and means associated with said flange and the second leg of said plate and securing said plate to said housing.

8. The combination with a coin receiving housing comprising front and rear walls, and a side wall formed integrally with said front wall and having a portion thereof providing a flange projecting beyond said rear wall, said front wall having an aperture therein intended to receive coins, of means for converting said coin aperture into a slug receiving aperture comprising an angle plate mounted upon said housing, said plate having one leg thereof abutting the front wall of said housing and having a coded aperture registering with said coin aperture, the other leg of said plate abutting the side wall of the housing, means operative to restrain bending of said first named leg of said plate out of a plane nor mal to the plane of the frontwall of the housing comprising a U-shaped member having one leg thereof formed integrally with the first leg of said plate, the transverse portion of said U-shaped member seating on the top wall of said housing, and the other leg of said member being disposed in rear of and engaging beneath the top wall of the housing, and means associated with said flange and the second leg of said plate and securing said plate to said housing.

OSCAR H. GOETZ. 

